Member

Safety is assured by each railway’s safety management system, overseen by the Office of Rail and Road, with its statutory responsibilities for rail safety. Through risk assessment, this would take account of the capability and competence of young volunteers, as well as such issues as fatigue and the nature of supervision and support. Heritage railways employ 4,000 paid staff and 22,000 volunteers, and they are supported by many more people through donations and shareholdings. A recent survey by the HRA showed some 774 younger volunteers under 16, and that number is probably slightly understated. At present, these are mainly confined to activities not involving working on the railway but supporting it in other ways.